World Cup

[FG Lurker]

The US beat Algeria, 1-0! Congrats to the USA who are the #1 team in Group C. I'm guessing there are a lot of unhappy Brits around right now...

[Blah Pete]

The US beat Algeria, 1-0! Congrats to the USA who are the #1 team in Group C. I'm guessing there are a lot of unhappy Brits around right now...

[img]http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/[img]http://www.fuckedgaijin.com/forums/images/vbimghost/1734c224f224d5d0.jpg[/img]

[Bucky]

This guy looks a awful lot like Pongi

[Mulboyne]

...I'm guessing there are a lot of unhappy Brits around right now...

Not really. There's just enormous relief that we are through and haven't gone the way of the French.

[2triky]

The US beat Algeria, 1-0! Congrats to the USA who are the #1 team in Group C. I'm guessing there are a lot of unhappy Brits around right now...

A football match for the ages, my man. Landon Donovan scores in stoppage time??? You could not have written a more dramatic script. An amazing result for the never say die American side. Great game.

[Tsuru]

Agreed, great game by the US today! (and also happy for those plucky Brits... good luck against ze Germans )

[xenomorph42]

[quote="Tsuru"]Agreed, great game by the US today! (and also happy for those plucky Brits... good luck against ze Germans ]

Donovan is a genius! Amazing game and not a moment too soon. It was a tough one, but happy to see them pull through, sweet victory.
The Brits did good too, but it will be interesting to watch them and ze Germans. All of them Schweine Hunden!!

[Mulboyne]

[unkosando]

Donovan is a genius! Amazing game and not a moment too soon. It was a tough one, but happy to see them pull through, sweet victory.
The Brits did good too, but it will be interesting to watch them and ze Germans. All of them Schweine Hunden!!

That was great! Being #1 in the group is sweet vindication for being robbed of our win in the Slovenia match!

Although we did get a gift from the brits!:cheers:

[Mulboyne]

...unhappy Brits...

...those plucky Brits...

gift from the brits!

You are all forgetting the rules. As long as the team is still in the cup, we are England and English. When we lose, we go back to talking about being British.

[American Oyaji]

What's the difference? Not being a smart-ass. I really don't see a difference.

[Coligny]

No doubt. At the end of the day, if you can't get it done on the pitch then your going to get the boot and go home. Looking at it in retrospect, the entire French team's run up to the World Cup was marred with controversy. For the French to only score one goal in the first round is truly a MIRACLE.

With a team like that... everyone was already happy they manage to put their clothes on properly without any outside help...

[CrankyBastard]

What's the difference? Not being a smart-ass. I really don't see a difference.

The England team represent England in the World cup.
They are British, but aren't representing Britain.
Though I can understand your not seeing a difference between calling them British or English.



Edit: This might be of interest to non Brits http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/10357018.stm

[Greji]

The England team represent England in the World cup.
They are British, but aren't representing Britain.
Though I can understand your not seeing a difference between calling them British or English.



Edit: This might be of interest to non Brits http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/10357018.stm

Cranky, is there a Limey team?

[FG Lurker]

What's the difference? Not being a smart-ass. I really don't see a difference.

Most non-Brits ignore the difference 'cause to most of us outside the UK the differences don't seem like much.

I'm not British so I might be getting this fucked up, but my understanding is that England, Scotland, and Wales are actually separate countries. Along with Northern Ireland they make up the UK, aka Britain/Great Britain. Therefore people who hold British passports generally self-identify as being from one of the individual countries (English, Scottish, etc) along with being British.

I'm sure someone from the UK can come along and correct whatever I have messed up.

[CrankyBastard]

Cranky, is there a Limey team?

I dunno Grej. Is there a Yankee team?

[American Oyaji]

OK, I looked it up.

Didn't realize Ireland was geographically closer the U.S. than England.

The British are from the island of Great Britain which composes England, Scotland and Wales.
English refers to those in England which is the southern part of the island.
So you CAN be British, but not English. The UK includes Britain as well as Northern Ireland which comprises the majority of Ulster which are 9 counties. 3 counties of Ulster are in Ireland which is the larger and southern portion of the island of Ireland.

So, as follows.
UK = Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales & England
Britain = Scotland, Wales & England
England = Southern portion minus a chunk in west
Ireland = Southern majority portion of the isle of Ireland.

That's bloody complicated. But now I understand more. Didn't realize I was so ignorant about it.

[FG Lurker]

Didn't realize Ireland was geographically closer the U.S. than England.

Now that's a confusing statement!

I'm guessing what you mean is that Ireland is located west of the main island of the UK, not that Ireland itself is closer to the US than it is to England.

[American Oyaji]

[quote="FG Lurker"]Now that's a confusing statement!

I'm guessing what you mean is that Ireland is located west of the main island of the UK, not that Ireland itself is closer to the US than it is to England. ]

That's why I said geographically. Ahh, I see. Sarcasm...yes...I've heard of this.

[blackcat]

who gives a shit, they are POMMS and the whining, winging, booing 2 faced bastards didn't deserve to get through. 2 lousy draws and an arse goal....give me a break! They acted like complete tossers (esp the fans) felt sorry for Slovenia they acted so much better crazy unlucky.

[sublight]

What's the difference? Not being a smart-ass. I really don't see a difference.

It's kind of like with Texas, only more so.

[Tsuru]

You are all forgetting the rules. As long as the team is still in the cup, we are England and English. When we lose, we go back to talking about being British.

Well, I mean technically if you're English that means you're also British, just not necessarily the other way round.... am I wrong?

edit: Hey, quick follow up:

*turns on the TV to watch*

I shall expect a good pelting with eggs and rotten tomatoes when they get back... and Domenech's head on top of the fence of the Elysee. In fatc, it's probably better if they stay in Africa.

They landed not one of Paris' main airports, but on the smallest one (Le Bourget) and where ushered onwards under heavy police escort. People are wondering why though, as there was nobody there to welcome them home in one form or another. Thierry Henry, the team captain has a meeting with the President to explain what the hell went wrong (though in fairness, that was his own idea and he wasn't summoned).

[American Oyaji]

Well, I mean technically if you're English that means you're also British, just not necessarily the other way round.... am I wrong?

No, you've got it right.

[Tsuru]

Also, does that mean nobody in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow or Belfast is cheering for the [s]Brits[/s] English?

[Mulboyne]

The British are from the island of Great Britain which composes England, Scotland and Wales.

If you are from Northern Ireland then you are also British (we claim the new US Open winner Graeme McDowell). Northern Ireland isn't geographically part of the island of Great Britain (which is why we speak of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & NI) but its citizens are British.

Certainly when it comes to football, some Scots can be quite antagonistic towards the English. Ask them who they support in the World Cup and many will reply "Anyone but England" - Scottish tennis player Andy Murray did just that 4 years ago during the last World Cup.

Like a lot of English, I don't get particularly precious about the England/Britain distinction, However, it has been a regular complaint of the other nations that English are quick to call sports stars British when they win but Scots, Welsh & Irish when they lose. Similarly, English losers are often labelled British losers which is the joke I was making.

The other countries do have distinct national identities and were recently granted their own parliaments. Wales has an active separate language and Scotland has its own legal system. What is interesting over the last 10 years is the way English people have begun to pick up their own separate identity.

As an English football supporter, you used to display the Union Jack, the flag of the United Kingdom, at games:



This began to change around the mid-90s and if you go to a match today, you'll see the Cross of St George:



There was a proposal that the four countries would combine their football teams for the first time at the London Olympics, where everyone competes as British. I think the other football federations worried that it might be a slippery slope to losing their own separate identities so it seems that the team will just include English players.

If you want to get really confused, there is no separate Northern Irish rugby team so Northern Irish rugby players represent Ireland, which is, of course, a different country. That's currently causing a little confusion because it's not clear whether Northern Irish rugby players will qualify to play with their team mates at the Olympics or whether they'll join a British team instead.

[American Oyaji]

Thanks for the clarifications Mul!

A day that you learn something new is a good day.

I used to think it was weird that Sean Connery with his Scottish brogue could play a convincing British spy, but point of fact was he WAS/IS British.

[Behan]

who gives a shit, they are POMMS and the whining, winging, booing 2 faced bastards didn't deserve to get through. 2 lousy draws and an arse goal....give me a break! They acted like complete tossers (esp the fans) felt sorry for Slovenia they acted so much better crazy unlucky.

Yes, both Irish eyes are smiling. One for them and one for the French! Serves you right 'enry!:p

But seriously, the UK (or Britain?) should send a soccer team to the Olympics, too. They'd probaby do pretty well with four countries of players to choose from.

[blackcat]

So is it similar to when David Coulthard was losing in F1 he was Scottish, and when he won he was British?

[Mulboyne]

So is it similar to when David Coulthard was losing in F1 he was Scottish, and when he won he was British?

That's the kind of thing.

[Mike Oxlong]

Is there any sort of Toto soccer pool for World Cup like there is for J-league?